Nuggets Reportedly Intend to have Jonas Valanciunas Honor Contract After Kings Trade

Though Jonas Valančiūnas has drawn interest from teams in Europe following his trade to the Denver Nuggets from the Sacramento Kings, his new team reportedly expects him to suit up in the NBA this year.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Denver "fully intends to have him honor his contract" and views him as a "critical center addition" behind star Nikola Jokić.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported last week that the idea of playing in Europe "holds strong appeal" for Valančiūnas as the big man receives interest from Panathinaikos in Greece.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Valančiūnas has "received a lucrative offer from Panathinaikos." It's unclear how much Valančiūnas has been offered to play in Greece, but his deal in the NBA will pay him $10.4 million for the upcoming season and $10 million in 2026-27.

While Valančiūnas isn't quite as productive now as he was five years ago, the 33-year-old is still a contributor in the NBA. Across his time with the Washington Wizards and Kings last year, he put up 13.1 points and 7.7 rebounds, mostly off the bench. He also played 81 games, marking his second consecutive season with 80 or more games played.

A team like Denver could use a solid backup center after not having much of one last year. While Valančiūnas isn't on the same level as Jokić, he at least can keep the team afloat when Jokić needs to sub out. Last season, if Jokić wasn't on the floor, it was almost always bad news for Denver.

Playing in Greece has its perks, as Valančiūnas would likely play a bigger role and would be a bit closer to his home country of Lithuania, but playing for the Nuggets gives him the chance to play a big role on a team capable of winning a title.